Forsythe Appraisals, a large real estate appraisal firm, has entered the Birmingham market

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Minnesota-based Forsythe Appraisals LLC, which bills itself as the largest independent residential real estate appraiser in the United States, has opened a Birmingham office.

The company will serve Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby and Tuscaloosa counties from the new office.

Forsythe chose to enter the Birmingham market because of its size and strength of improvement in its housing market, Rick Hansen, director of operations, said in a prepared statement.

“Home sales rose 8 percentage points in March compared to March of 2012,” he said. “Homes spent fewer days on the market this year versus last, and the inventory of homes is decreasing. These are all positive signs of a market on the upswing.”